Dahlia plant named ‘Dahlstar Burgundy Improved’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named ‘Dahlstar Burgundy Improved’, characterized by its upright and compact plant habit; freely branching habit, full and dense plants; semi-double type inflorescences; and dark red purple-colored ray florets with bright yellow-colored disc florets.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Dahlia variabilis cultivar Dahlstar Burgundy Improved.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant, botanically known as Dahlia variabilis, commercially referred to as a pot-type Dahlia, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Dahlstar Burgundy Improved.

The new Dahlia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Mariahout, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new pot-type Dahlia cultivars with desirable inflorescence form and attractive ray floret coloration.

The new Dahlia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 1998 of a proprietary Dahlia variabilis selection identified as code number 95.1455, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Dahlia variabilis selection identified as code number 97.2822, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Dahlia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Mariahout, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Mariahout, The Netherlands in 1998. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Dahlia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Dahlstar Burgundy Improved has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and daylength, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dahlstar Burgundy Improved’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dahlstar Burgundy Improved’ as a new and distinct pot-type Dahlia:

1. Upright and compact plant habit.

2. Freely branching habit, full and dense plants.

3. Semi-double type inflorescences.

4. Dark red purple-colored ray florets with bright yellow-colored disc florets.

Compared to plants of the female parent, the selection 95.1455, plants of the new Dahlia are larger, have darker-colored ray florets and flower earlier. Compared to plants of the male parent, the selection 97.2822, plants of the new Dahlia are more compact, have darker-colored ray florets and flower earlier.

Plants of the new Dahlia can be compared to plants of the Dahlia cultivar Dahlstar Burgundy, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,715. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Venhuizen, The Netherlands, plants of the new Dahlia flowered earlier, had a more uniform plant habit and had more intense dark purple-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Dahlia showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dahlia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dahlstar Burgundy Improved’. The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence bud, developing and fully opened inflorescences, and the upper and lower surfaces of typical leaves of ‘Dahlstar Burgundy Improved’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown and flowered during the winter and early spring in Lompoc, Calif., under commercial practice in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse with day temperatures about 18 to 24° C., night temperatures about 16 to 18° C., and light levels about 4,000 to 8,000 foot-candles. Three cuttings were planted per 15-cm container and plants were grown for about 10 weeks.

Botanical classification: Dahlia variabilis cultivar Dahlstar Burgundy Improved.

Parentage:

Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary Dahlia variabilis selection identified as code number 95.1455, not patented.

Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary Dahlia variabilis selection identified as code number 97.2822, not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to rooting.—Summer: About 8 days at 22° C. Winter: About 10 days at 22° C.

Time to develop a rooted cutting.—Summer: About 16 days at 20° C. Winter: About 20 days at 20° C.

Root description.—Fine to somewhat thick, fleshy; development of tubers has not been observed.

Plant description:

Appearance.—Herbaceous pot-type Dahlia. Inverted triangle; stems mostly upright and somewhat outwardly spreading giving a uniformly mounded appearance to the plant; relatively compact. Freely branching, about six to eight lateral branches per plant; dense and full plants.

Plant height.—About 18.5 cm.

Plant width or area of spread, single plant.—About 16 cm.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 17 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144C.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Leaves simple; opposite. Length: About 3.4 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Petiole length: About 2.3 cm. Petiole diameter: About 2 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Young foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 146A. Mature foliage, upper surface: 146A. Mature foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper surface: 146D. Venation, lower surface: 147B. Petiole, upper and lower surfaces: 144B.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance.—Terminal and axillary semi-double type inflorescences held above and beyond the foliage on strong flexible peduncles; inflorescences face upright. Composite inflorescence form with elongated oblong to elliptical-shaped ray florets and disc florets massed at the center; ray and disc florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences not fragrant. Inflorescences persistent.

Flowering response.—Plants flower continuous and freely from April until October in Northern Europe.

Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color and substance for about four to five days on the plant.

Quantity of inflorescences.—During the flowering season, about 100 inflorescences per plant may develop.

Inflorescence bud (stage of showing color).—Shape: Oblate. Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Color: 71A.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.7 cm. Depth (height): About 1.5 cm. Diameter of disc: About 7 to 12 mm.

Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated-oblong to elliptical. Aspect: Straight, concave. Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth, glabrous, velvety. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 40 in about four rows. Color: When opening, upper surface: Darker than 71A. When opening, lower surface: 79C. Fully opened, upper surface: 71A; color does not fade with subsequent development. Fully opened, lower surface: 72B.

Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed. Length: About 1 cm. Width: Apex, about 2 mm; base, about 1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About 48. Color: Immature: 12A. Mature: Apex: 12A. Mid-section: 2B. Base: 157B.

Involucral bracts.—Quantity: About 40 yellow-green bracts subtended by 5 darker green bracts, imbricate. Yellow-green length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Darker green length: About 7 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth, thin. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Yellow-green, 150C; darker green, 138A.

Peduncles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong, very flexible. Aspect: Upright. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144D.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Anther color: 14A. Pollen amount: Scarce to none. Pollen color: 14A. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Stigma color: 12A. Style color: 2B.

Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.

Disease/pest tolerance: Plants of the new Dahlia have not been observed to be tolerant to pathogens and pests common to Dahlias.

Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Dahlia have been observed to be wind and rain-tolerant; and have been observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from 12 to 30° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named ‘Dahlstar Burgundy Improved’, as illustrated and described. 